UNAIDS International Goodwill Ambassador and football star, Michael Ballack witnessed how football is transforming lives in South Africa. On 19 January, he visited the Grassroot Soccer programme in Soweto, South Africa and watched a Skillz Street practice session involving about 50 boys and girls. Grassroot Soccer uses soccer to educate, inspire and mobilize communities to stop the spread of HIV.

Mr Ballack was joined by UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé on his tour of the programme.  Mr Ballack is on a 3-day fact-finding mission in South Africa, where he is learning about how HIV impacts lives.

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(L. to R.) Burkina Faso Prime Minister Luc Adolphe Tiao and UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé at the Third Pan-African Youth Leadership Summit on 20 December 2012 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Hundreds of youth leaders gathered in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso on 20 December for the Third Pan-African Youth Leadership Summit. The meeting is focusing on how young people can contribute to a post-2015 development agenda and reach the UNAIDS vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths.

The three-day meeting was organised by the West African Youth Leadership Network for the United Nations (ROJALNU-OMD) in cooperation with UNAIDS. Burkina Faso’s Prime Minister, Luc Adolphe Tiao, inaugurated the summit on behalf of President Blaise Compaoré together with UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé.

“More than any other key group, young people are the chief architects and master builders of Africa’s future,” said Mr Sidibé. “By 2035, Africa‘s working population will be the largest in the world. This means the world’s principal labour force will be African.”

Speaking on behalf of President Blaise Compaoré, Prime Minister, Luc Adolphe Tiao said that Africa will never win without investing in its young people.

While young people are Africa’s hope, they are also a major challenge for the continent, which needs to invest rapidly and strategically in young people so that they can reach their potential.

Mr Sidibé emphasized ways for ensuring that young people become a positive force for change. He said the continent must invest in education and job training, particularly in a new economy based on information and communication technology. He stressed at the same time it was important to implement social protection networks to reduce the insecurity of young people and stop them from falling into the grips of alcohol and drug addiction. Finally, he called for a new social movement with greater participation from young people on the debate about development and social justice.

A Moroccan youth leader passes the flame to a Burkina Faso youth leader at the Third Pan-African Youth Leadership Summit on 20 December 2012 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

The President of the Commission of the West African Economic and Monetary Union, Cheik Hadjibou Soumaré said that he fully agreed with UNAIDS on the importance of young people and their engagement in the HIV response.

President of the West African Youth Leadership Network, Alioune Gueye said that UNAIDS three zero strategy was an indispensable part of any reflection on a post-2015 development agenda and thanked Mr Sidibé for taking young people into account.

The Summit is organized in the overall framework of CrowdOutAIDS, an innovative youth-led policy project initiated by UNAIDS. Leveraging crowdsourcing technology and new media tools, the project enabled young people to develop recommendations to work more effectively with each other in the AIDS response.

Globally, an estimated 4.6 million young people (15-24 years of age) are living with HIV. About 2300 young people are infected with HIV each day.

Young people from Gabon playing the interactive board game “Vie2Jeune”.
Credit: Aiducators4life

According to the Ministry of Health of Gabon, only 1 out of 2 young Gabonese aged 15-24 have a comprehensive knowledge on HIV in a country where the prevalence rate among youth aged 15-24 is about  4.8%, and 15% of youth have sexual relationships before the age of 15.

In an effort to revolutionise HIV prevention in Gabon, Shell Gabon in co-operation with the non-governmental organization Aiducators4life, the government and UNICEF launched an innovative tool aimed at stimulating discussions on HIV among youth (13+) in the country.

“Shell is truly committed to slow the spread of HIV in this country,” said the Director General of Shell Gabon, Adrian Drewett who officially launched the board game on the 3rd of December at Lycee Paul Indjendjet Gondjout in Libreville.

The new tool consists of an interactive board game called “Vie2Jeune”. Aligned with Gabonese culture and customs, the game provides relevant information for young people on topics like safe sex, sexually transmitted infections, facts about HIV, teenage pregnancies and discrimination against people living with HIV. There are about 60 information cards and 60 question cards that are used while playing the game.

This board game was successfully launched in Zambia in 2009. The new French version was developed by Aiducators4life in cooperation with a French biology teacher and a French language teacher. The game is approved by medical experts and it has been tested extensively in schools in both Libreville and Gamba.

The entertaining format of the game makes it easily acceptable in many cultures and people groups especially where readership is low. “This is a very direct and very ‘fun’ approach to learning about HIV,” said UNAIDS coordinator in Gabon, Ms Inge Tack. “We noticed during the tests that this approach was very effective and also different to the current methods used in schools.”

Shell Gabon will finance 1000 games for secondary schools in Gamba and Libreville. The final objective is to provide all Gabonese secondary schools with the game which has just been approved for educational purpose by the Gabonese Ministry of Education. The distribution of the game will start in January 2013. 

UNAIDS Chief of Resource Mobilization Mariangela Bavicchi Lerner and General Manager of OVS Francesco Sama pose with the young fashion designers who participated in the Make Love With campaign. Credit: OVS

Eleven young designers, the new generation of international fashion, joined together to create an exclusive collection of tops and t-shirts for Italian fashion retailer OVS as their personal contribution to the response to AIDS. This initiative is part of the Make Love With campaign, launched by OVS in partnership with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

The campaign aims to raise both funds and awareness towards the UNAIDS vision of “zero new infections, zero discrimination, zero AIDS-related deaths”. The money that is raised will support the work of UNAIDS in improving HIV treatment and prevention, as well as eliminating stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.

"It seemed fitting for a company like OVS, which primarily targets and engages with young people, to commit to this issue,” said Stefano Beraldo, CEO of Gruppo Coin, which owns OVS. “We were keen to launch and develop this campaign in collaboration with an international partner like UNAIDS, to work both within and outside the country borders, especially in light of our international expansion.”

The group of young designers include: Lavinia Biagiotti, Rachele Cavalli, Louis Marie de Castelbajac, Maria Sole Ferragamo, Marta Ferri, Alessandra Gucci, Alice Lemoine, Talitha Puri Negri, Lola Toscani, Rocco Toscani and Francesca Versace. Rocco Toscani, son of famous photographer Oliviero Toscani, also took the official campaign shots, featuring the young designers each wearing their own creation.

Young people aged 15-24 are the group most affected by HIV, accounting for 40% of all new adult HIV infections.  In 2011, about 5 million young people were living with HIV worldwide, with more than 2 400 being newly infected every day. According to the most recent population-based surveys in low- and middle-income countries, only 24% of young women and 36% of young men have an adequate knowledge of HIV prevention and transmission. Addressing the needs of young people and keeping them educated and informed encourages them to make responsible choices and drastically decreases their risk of being exposed to HIV.

 “This partnership with OVS presents an exciting opportunity to reach young people with HIV prevention messages,” said Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “Young people are leading the HIV prevention revolution around the world. Through our joint campaign, we will harness the energy and creativity of youth and the fashion world in support of the global HIV response.”

In recent years, UNAIDS has supported a number of other youth initiatives, including CrowdOutAIDS, an online collaborative policy project which leveraged social media and online collaboration tools to develop the first ever crowdsourced strategy document in the history of the United Nations. Over 5,000 young activists from 79 countries participated in the initiative.

The collection will be launched officially in the newly-renovated OVS store in Milan on November 27^th. It will be available to the public worldwide on World AIDS Day (December 1^st) in stores and online at www.ovs.it /makelovewith. Special events will be also organized in OVS stores in Russia, India and China.

The Network of Positive Youth for Latin America and the Caribbean has launched a regional consultation for young people living with HIV. The aim of the consultation is to obtain information on the realities that young people living with HIV face in their everyday lives in order to develop new and more effective HIV strategies focused on their specific needs.

The consultation tool, developed with support from UNAIDS, UNICEF and UNFPA, consists of an online and confidential survey of roughly 40 questions that focuses on young people aged 18 to 29 years old and living with HIV from 17 Latin American and two Spanish-speaking Caribbean countries. The online platform is designed to run on any computer and has a special program to facilitate access from mobile devices.

The tool will collect information related to the socio-demographic aspects of young people living with HIV, their access to health services, experiences with stigma and discrimination, and their leadership and community participation. Young people living with HIV will be able to participated in the survey until 30 November 2012 at the following website: http://consulta.jovenespositivos.org

“Usually, positive youth remain invisible to research and data collection exercises.  This consultation is an opportunity to make our voices heard,” explained Mariana Iacono, a founding member of the Network of Positive Youth. “To be able to develop HIV strategies and programs that meet our needs we must know our situation, needs and realities in our communities.”

A team of young people from the Network of Positive Youth will analyze the results of the online consultation and will design a short and long term action plans for the region. The results will also serve as advocacy tools to demand the development of national strategies that focus on the needs of young people living with HIV. “We know that sometimes it is difficult to share feelings and memories, but we believe it is from our own experiences that we can bring new ideas and solutions to address HIV in a more inclusive and cost effective way,” said Pablo Aguilera, member of the Network.

In Latin America, an estimated 68 000 adolescents (10-19 years) are living with HIV. Of these, 34 680 are women. In 2011, 34 440 new HIV infections occurred among young people between 15 to 24 years, accounting for 41% of all adult HIV infections. “A generation of young people born with HIV is growing up with its specific needs being largely neglected,” noted Mark Connolly, UNICEF Senior Adviser for Latin America and the Caribbean. In 2011, an estimated 2 000 children were born with HIV in the region.

As young people living with HIV transition from childhood through adolescence to young adulthood, they face a range of specific needs, including accessing treatment, tackling stigma and discrimination, and accessing youth-friendly integrated HIV and sexual and reproductive health services. “Young people living with HIV are a heterogeneous group, with diverse populations that needs urgent attention in many areas, especially those who are more affected by stigma and discrimination, such as transgender, gays and drug users,” said Cesar A. Núñez, UNAIDS Regional Director for Latin America. 

The UNFPA Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Marcela Suazo emphasized that the epidemic on positive young people is worsened because of social exclusion, as well as gender inequality, stigma and discrimination related to HIV. “It is necessary to ensure a human rights platform that extends strongest non-discriminatory access of young people to education, counseling and adequate sexual and reproductive health," she said.

In Latin America, a new wave of youth-led community mobilization is emerging, advocating for human rights and demanding access to HIV services. The Regional Network of Positive Youth is organizing youth to participate in decision-making and consultation spaces beyond national spheres. In December 2012, the Network is organizing the first regional meeting of young people to define coordinated actions across the region, enhance leadership and mobilization towards meeting the global targets for 2015.

Cricketing stars from the South Africa team, including JP Duminy (third from right), join ‘Think Wise’ campaign volunteers at an a HIV-awareness raising event in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Credit: UNICEF Sri Lanka

World cricket players have united in a call to young fans to ‘get the facts’ about HIV prevention and to help eliminate AIDS-related stigma and discrimination. The call is part of a United Nations and International Cricket Council (ICC) HIV awareness-raising campaign taking place alongside the ICC World Twenty20 (WT20) tournament in Sri Lanka, which runs until 7 October.

Rallying support for the campaign known as ‘Think Wise’—an initiative of the ICC, UNAIDS and UNICEF— players from the South African Cricket team interacted with young people living with and affected by HIV in Colombo on 26 September.

“It is very important to create awareness on HIV—not only for our generation but also for the generation to come,” said South African player JP Duminy. “HIV is an issue for South Africa and the whole world and sport is one of the things that can bring nations together on important issues,” he added.

JP Duminy and his team-mates gave the youth attending the event tips on how to improve their batting, bowling and fielding skills during a specialized coaching session. At the same time, they spoke openly about HIV with the youth participants, stressing the importance of young people being informed, staying protected and eliminating harmful stigma and discrimination against people living with and affected by HIV.

A similar interaction session was held earlier in the WT20 tournament between players of the West Indies cricket team and children living with HIV. “This is definitely a great initiative and it’s important that young people are educated on the methods of protecting themselves from HIV,” said Trinidadian leg spin bowler Samuel Badree.

Commending the players’ commitment to raising awareness on HIV, Steven Kraus, Director of the UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Asia and the Pacific said: “We are all striving for the vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. Cricket and cricketing stars have the power to unite and reach beyond national boundaries, driving efforts towards ‘getting to zero’ and ending AIDS.”

Outrunning AIDS: towards an AIDS-free generation

Young people taking part in the ‘Think Wise’ activities emphasized the benefit of such events. “It was great to have the opportunity to play cricket with the teams and it was very important because of the reach that the campaign is having with the public—great opportunities for many important conversations,” a young participant said.

Players from the West Indies Cricket Team interacting with ‘Think Wise’ volunteers, children living with HIV and their families as part of the ‘Think Wise’ campaign.
Credit: UNICEF Sri Lanka

More than 40% of the new HIV infections globally are being reported among 15-24 year olds, which means that 3000 young people are being newly infected with the virus every day. Stigma against people living with HIV and people from communities at higher risk is still widespread across many cricket playing countries.

“Stigma and discrimination undermine our vision of an AIDS-free generation. This can be realized only if we all respect the rights of those living with or affected by HIV," said Rachel Odede, HIV Advisor in the UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia, underlining the importance of this Think Wise theme.

For almost a decade, and with the help of ‘Think Wise’ Champions including Virender Sehwag (India), Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka), Ramnaresh Sarwan (West Indies) among others, the ICC/UNAIDS/UNICEF ‘Think Wise’ campaign has used the power of cricket to help address key issues around AIDS, particularly for young people across the major cricket-playing countries.

“Through cricket we can reach millions of people and the message is clear: Let’s talk more about HIV, let’s get informed. We know that stigma kills. Let’s ‘Think Wise’, don’t stigmatize,” said Indian batsman and ‘Think Wise’ Champion Virender Sehwag during the WT20 tournament.

ICC CEO David Richardson added: “The profile and reach of the ICC World T20 gives us an opportunity to raise awareness and reduce stigma about HIV and, along with the players, we are delighted to help this cause.”

For the duration of the WT20, a public service announcement featuring Kumar Sangakkara and Virender Sehwag will be screened at all tournament matches. Players from the teams taking part in the men’s and women’s semi-finals will wear red ribbons as a sign of solidarity for people living with HIV and umpires and referees will also sport the ‘Think Wise’ logo on their shirt sleeves.

The “Let’s Talk” Think Wise roadshow, supported by UNAIDS, ready to leave Colombo with its youth volunteers.
Credit: P. Deshapriya

A bus embossed with HIV messages, red ribbons and the faces of world cricketing stars is making a whistle stop tour through more than a hundred sites in Sri Lanka. Carrying young volunteers, the bus is part of the HIV awareness-raising campaign “Let’s talk” taking place around the world Twenty20 cricket tournament that runs from 18 September to 7 October in Sri Lanka.

An integral part of the joint UNAIDS, UNICEF and the International Cricket Council (ICC) partnership known as ‘Think Wise’, the bus has been on the road since late August. Using the power of cricket it aims to reach out to thousands of young people in Sri Lanka providing them with HIV information as well as inviting them to talk about AIDS.

Serving as the face of the roadshow, Sri Lankan cricketing hero and ‘Think Wise’ Champion Kumar Sangakkara’s message is featured on the side of the bus: “When you know the facts, you know what to do. Get the facts. Protect yourself against HIV”.

As the bus pulls up at one of the designated stops, the vibrant young volunteers greet locals with music, dance and organize activities including street cricket and an HIV quiz. With tickets to the Twenty20 final as the prize, the quiz along with the other activities is intended to help promote key HIV prevention and anti-discrimination messages.

“Education programmes through entertainment are really needed as they reach out to young people, especially those most at risk,” says ‘Think Wise’ roadshow volunteer Paba Deshapriya as she invites young people attending to sign on a giant wicket in support for the Sri Lankan team at the Twenty20 tournament. At the same time, she presents them with red ribbons and information about HIV services they can access in their area.

“The roadshow interactions are clearly showing that public knowledge of HIV is still extremely low—which means the bus and the AIDS response in Sri Lanka still have a long journey,” said roadshow team leader Mr Hans Billimoria.

Under the broader umbrella of the ‘Think Wise’ campaign, the bus roadshow is the result of a diverse national partnership in Sri Lanka that includes UNAIDS, UNICEF, Family Planning Association of Sri Lanka, the National STI/AIDS Control Programme, the National Youth Council, the community organization Grassrooted and local youth organizations. The initiative aims to not only give clear and up to date information on HIV, dispel AIDS-related myths and challenge social stigma against people living with HIV but also to link people with local HIV services including HIV testing and counseling, treatment and support.

Despite a relatively low HIV prevalence in the country (less than 0.1%), stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV and key affected communities is high and presents a major barrier to the HIV response. National surveys suggest that many people at higher risk of infection delay testing themselves for HIV and coming forward for treatment because they are concerned by the implications of testing HIV-positive and the confidentiality of their HIV status.

At the Think Wise roadshow, participants ‘sign the wickets’ in support of the Sri Lankan cricketing team’s performance in the World Twenty20 tournament and to show their solidarity for people living with HIV.
Credit: P. Deshapriya

Dr Nimal Edirisinghe Director of the Sri Lankan national STI and AIDS Control Programme said, “This is an ideal opportunity as the campaign actively links young people to HIV prevention and treatment services.”

According to the UNAIDS Country Coordinator for Sri Lanka Mr David Bridger an AIDS-free generation is within our reach. “That’s why through the ‘Think Wise’ campaign we say: ‘Let’s talk – Get the Facts – Protect yourself’ encouraging open dialogue on sex, sexual diversity, risks and HIV prevention methods,” he said.

As the bus continues its journey through Sri Lanka, additional HIV activities related to the ‘Think Wise’ campaign will take place during the Twenty20 tournament. These include screenings of a public service announcement at every match, the wearing of red ribbons by players in the semifinals and interaction events between cricket players from the West Indies and South Africa teams and young people.

UNAIDS country coordinator for Honduras Alberto Stella (left) with two volunteers during an outreach activity in Tegucigalpa during World AIDS Day 2011.

In 2007, UNAIDS helped youth participation in the national response to AIDS in Honduras with the creation of the UNAIDS Network of Young Volunteers. Members of the network are young people who are committed to changing the course of the epidemic in the country. The network works in partnership with the United Nations Volunteer Programme, local community-based organizations, and civil society.

“We believe that meaningful youth participation is crucial to a prevention revolution and to increasing HIV awareness among young people in Honduras,” says Alberto Stella, UNAIDS Country Coordinator for Honduras.

UNAIDS provides volunteers with technical support for the planning and implementation of community mobilization and outreach activities, as well as a physical space where volunteers can work independently. About 40 young people have taken part in this initiative since 2007, and through their work they have been able to reach young people at a national level.

¨We built an information-sharing mechanism between UNAIDS and young people through social media and the UNAIDS website”, explains Edgardo Benítez, a volunteer with the network. “We felt that there was a lot of available information but no easy access to it. Through social media we regularly share key documents, announcements and updates”.

The Network also coordinates a documentation centre in the UNAIDS office, which has national and international publications on HIV and related issues, and is used frequently by young people for academic research.

UNAIDS organizes regular training for volunteers in HIV prevention, human rights, and related issues. This enables them to share their knowledge with their peers. The Network of Young Volunteers has partnered with universities and high schools to conduct workshops in urban and rural areas.

Outreach activity at a public school in Olanchito, a province in northern Honduras.

“In rural areas, most people still hold taboos and myths about HIV”, explains Sheila Serón, who has been an active volunteer since 2007. “While volunteering with the network I had the chance to inform girls that they could avoid HIV infection by using condoms in a correct and consistent manner, as well as emphasize the importance of taking an HIV test”.

The network also coordinates outreach activities to encourage young people’s participation. In the last two years volunteers have organized movie forums at which young people debate issues such as social inequalities, stigma and discrimination in relation to HIV. Such activities have become a common platform for young people to interact in a friendly environment and participate in discussions. In 2011 the Network used social media to mobilize young people to participate in a photo art competition to show the link between HIV and human rights. The best photographs became part of a travelling photo exhibition and toured several cities in Honduras. This initiative was supported by the Casas de la Cultura (Institutions of Culture).

Young people have become major actors in their own response. The network supported UNAIDS and other partners in the organization and follow-up of key national events, including a wide range of activities during World Aids Day in 2010 and 2011, which were planned in partnership with the Ministry of Health, civil society organizations and people living with HIV.

Network volunteers come from a broad range of cultural, social and geographical backgrounds and reflect the diversity of Honduran society. Volunteers are encouraged to visit civil society and community-based organizations. Marianela Muñoz spent one month in a community-based organization caring for AIDS-orphaned children. “With this experience I got a glimpse of the actions I want to take to help my country”, she says.

Young people have become major actors in their own response. Volunteers engaged with mime artists in the streets of the capital city showing messages related to HIV during World AIDS Day 2010.

“Taking part in the UNAIDS Volunteer Network has opened my mind to the fact that we all have the right to be healthy, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or religion, and that HIV should not be a reason to stigmatize or discriminate others. I have learned so much alongside my fellow volunteers at UNAIDS; now I am informed and empowered”, says Violeta Mora, another volunteer with the network.

In 2011, the programme was awarded the National Cultural Volunteer Award by The Ministry of Culture, The Spanish Embassy in Honduras, UNDP and UNV for its outstanding work as a young volunteer organization that promotes social development.

Thusnelda Guruses, Project Coordinator from Hui Da Re, a community-based organization, encourages participants through storytelling to critically think about multiple concurrent relationships and HIV transmission.

The Khaibasen Community Project in Namibia has been engaged in raising awareness, providing education and giving a voice to vulnerable communities, especially girls who are engaging in transactional sex to make ends meet.

“I have felt emotionally and mentally empowered by the talk sessions which the Khaibasen Community Project has given us. The psycho-social support group meetings gave me important knowledge about my rights and how to take care of myself,” said Gan-Gans, a 24-year-old sex worker and a regular attendee of these meetings. The community project supports vulnerable women and girls in the informal settlement of Keetmanshoop, to enable them to better articulate their rights and deal with critical issues, such as sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence, and HIV prevention, care and treatment services.

“With the financial and capacity building support provided by UNAIDS we are able to reach vulnerable women in informal settlements in Keetmanshoop,” said Desiree Haman, Coordinator of the Khaibasen Community Project. The project provides HIV-related advice, training and support to women, including sex workers, transgendered women, lesbians and young people, especially in the Karas region.

Information-sharing meetings and workshops are also organized to assist women to understand their basic rights in accessing public services and provides training  on how to mobilize and educate other women in their settlements. “This fund is extremely important and without this financial- and capacity-building support grassroots groups working with communities in informal settlements would not be able to sustain their work,” said Jennifer Gatsi Mallet, Director of Namibia Women’s Health Network. According to Ms Mallet, community programmes supported by UNAIDS have seen significant progress in scaling up and promoting community ownership, leadership and continuity in changing small community-based groups, especially those led by young women and men.

Since 2002, UNAIDS has given small grants to more than 175 organizations in Namibia, which are implementing catalytic HIV prevention and care activities at the grassroots level. Namibia’s HIV response for communities in informal settlements continues to be primarily funded by development partners. The Government of Finland has donated 800,000 euros to UNAIDS for the implementation of grassroot level activities in southern Namibia during this period. Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms have also been put in place to ensure the funds are appropriately utilized to assist the poorest and the most vulnerable communities.

“Finland's human rights-based approach to development aims to ensure that even the poorest know their rights and are able to exercise them,” said Anne Saloranta, Chargé d'Affaires at the Embassy of Finland in Namibia. “Development entails more and better possibilities for people to influence and enhance their own lives.”

In 2011, this programme (also known as Small Grant Fund) was repositioned to fill a strategic niche in the HIV-related funding landscape in Namibia: to provide funding and capacity building support to community-based organisations working to address the vulnerability to HIV of marginalised populations in informal settlements in the Khomas, Karas and Hardap region. Special focus is placed on young women and girls, people with disabilities and people living with HIV.

The programme has shown that it does not take billions of dollars to make a difference in people´s lives. Support provided by the initiative has enabled these organizations to reinforce the grassroots interventions to address issues relate to HIV at the community level.

Another beneficiary has been the Namibian National Association of the Deaf (NNAD). The association serves as an innovative, responsive and dynamic organization to ensure the protection and promotion of the rights, needs and concerns of deaf people in Namibia. Often marginalized due to their disability, they bring renewed hope for the deaf community in Namibia. They have been increasing awareness on issues affecting deaf people at all levels from making information available to raising awareness about issues on sexual reproductive health, family planning and gender based violence. A major goal is to reduce the burden of HIV in deaf communities in the Khomas, Hardap and Karas regions. Paul Nanyeni, Chairperson for NNAD, said he is thankful for the support. “We are happy with UNAIDS because we are able to offer the deaf community training on HIV and gender-based violence, which could otherwise be a big catastrophe in their lives,” said Mr. Nayeni. “With this support, the Association can provide better services for the deaf.”

This year, in the lead up to International Youth Day, the United Nations is organising six live Google+ Hangouts, aimed at sharing information and good practices, and to provoke discussion on the role of the UN, Member States and Civil Society on how to better develop partnerships with young people. One of the hangouts focuses specifically on Sexual and Reproductive Health.

International Youth Day will be celebrated around the world this Sunday, August 12, reminding us of the crucial role that today’s young people play in the global response to AIDS.  Young people between the ages of 15-24 are the group most affected by AIDS, accounting for 40% of all adult HIV infections. About 5 million are living with HIV worldwide, with over 2,400 15-to-24-year-olds infected every day in 2011. Although these numbers show a decrease in HIV prevalence among young people in the last decade, there clearly remains a lot of work to be done.

There have been many positive changes in sexual behaviour among young people, with a significant decrease in the number of young people having multiple partners or having sex before their 15^th birthday, as well as increased condom use – but this is not true of all countries. According to the most recent population-based surveys in low- and middle-income countries, only 24% of young women and 36% of young men have an adequate knowledge of HIV prevention and transmission. This lack of education is a cause for concern, particularly in areas that have an enduring high prevalence of HIV.

All young people, particularly those living with HIV, should have access to youth-friendly services for reproductive health and HIV prevention and care, with appropriate services for young women, who represent 63% of all youth living with HIV. Education is essential: when young people are given the tools and incentives to adopt safe behaviours, they consistently demonstrate the capability to make responsible choices, and encourage others to do the same.

Experience shows that HIV programmes that affect young people are more effective when youth are engaged as partners and can participate in their design and implementation. The 2011 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS called on all countries to support the active involvement and leadership of young people in the global, regional and national responses. Although 150 countries have already reported the inclusion of young people in their national AIDS strategic plans, only 91 of them have allocated budgets for youth programmes and activities. By involving young people in the decision-making process, we are empowering the people who are more aware than anyone of what needs to be done.

This year’s International AIDS Conference, held in Washington at the end of July, saw a number of events focusing on young people’s involvement in the AIDS response, including a Pre-Conference organized by YouthForce, a Youth Pavilion, and the launch of Youth Score with UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé.

Young people had the opportunity to voice their concerns regarding their role in the epidemic and what has to be done. Gabriel Munene was one of the many young people volunteering at the conference: “The Youth Pavilion was buzzing with activity throughout the conference and there was a high participation of young people from all around the globe. Several youth activists reiterated the importance of involving young people in decision-making roles in the fight against AIDS. They called on governments globally to abolish travel restrictions for PLHIV, decriminalize LGBTI populations and ensure universal access to health services for all populations.”

This year’s International AIDS Conference, held in Washington DC at the end of July, saw a number of events focusing on young people’s involvement in the AIDS response, including Youth Score, which attracted more than 200 young people who came out to participate in workshops and clinics with Lorrie Fair of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team; Steve Zakuani of the Seattle Sounders FC; and Michael Adams, former NBA player. Credit: UNAIDS/Y.Gripas

UNAIDS recognises the importance of working with young people in order to achieve an AIDS-free generation, and has introduced a number of programmes aimed at empowering young people and involving them in the development of plans that affect them. CrowdOutAIDS was launched in October 2011 as a collaborative policy that enabled young people to define a set of recommendations on how the UNAIDS Secretariat can work more effectively to engage young people in the HIV response, an initiative which saw the participation of over 5,000 young activists from 79 countries. Last month in Washington, CrowdOutAIDS partnered with YouthForce to launch A Declaration for Change: How Young People will achieve an AIDS-free generation, encouraging young people to collaborate, through social media, on a list of priorities which will lay the foundation for how youth organizations, networks and activists will work together to reach the 2015 goals of the Political Declaration.

This year, in the lead up to International Youth Day, the United Nations is organising six live Google+ Hangouts, aimed at sharing information and good practices, and to provoke discussion on the role of the UN, Member States and Civil Society on how to better develop partnerships with young people. One of the hangouts focuses specifically on Sexual and Reproductive Health.

Young men and women, who represent one fifth of the world’s population, are the key to achieving the UNAIDS vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination, and zero AIDS-related deaths.